Leeville Bridge tolls change Wednesday

Published: Tuesday, June 19, 2012 at 11:18 a.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, June 19, 2012 at 11:18 a.m.

Drivers who use the Leeville Bridge are getting an easier way to pay the toll that helped pay for the new span.

The newly installed cash-and-charge lane opens for business Wednesday. the state Transportation Department says.

Drivers heading south on the Leeville Bridge will be able to use a kiosk that will allow payment with coins, cash, credit cards and debit cards.

The current toll system, originally hailed as a high-tech achievement, had been riddled with problems and complaints from motorists and local officials since it opened more than two years ago.

The bridge, a key route for trucks heading to and from the oilfield hub of Port Fourchon, collects tolls of $2.50 to $12, based on a vehicle’s size. The toll is only charged for drivers heading south.

Henri Boulet, executive director of the La. 1 Coalition, a nonprofit group that led the push for highway upgrades, said drivers will declare the number of axles and pay without exiting the vehicle.

Boulet said this is a big improvement over the current method of payment, which requires drivers to prepay online or at a local kiosk before reaching the bridge.

“This will make travel more convenient for motorists commuting to Port Fourchon and the many visitors that flock to Grand Isle for annual events and vacations,” state Assistant Transportation Secretary Rhett Desselle said.

The changes will not affect those who pay tolls via the online Geaux Pass system, but single-trip online payments will no longer be available. For those drivers with a pre-paid, multi-trip Geaux pass, a Geaux Pass-only lane has been designed so they can proceed without stopping, Boulet said.

Because of the switch, the pre-pay and post-pay toll kiosks in Leeville businesses will be removed. There will also no longer be a grace period for drivers to pay after crossing the bridge.

Boulet said the toll machine will count the number of axles as the vehicle pulls away. Those who incorrectly report the number of axles or fail to pay the toll will be billed the proper cost in addition to a $25 fine. Security cameras will record identifying vehicle information.

Boulet said the change stems from confusion with the old payment system that required drivers to input their tag number. He said this led to errors that affected the state’s ability to collect the tolls and repay the loan that built the bridge.

The tolls generated $3.4 million in 2010, falling short by $674,000, or 15 percent, of the money needed to fully satisfy the $136 million loan.

State officials have said the confusing and often broken toll system is one reason the bridge has not collected the expected revenue.

“I’m encouraged that the state has installed this new system that will allow us to collect all the revenue we projected and pay the bondholders,” Boulet said.

A canopy will be installed at the new toll kiosk, and the Transportation Department expects to install a backup machine in the next six months should the new machine experience problems.

For information, visit http://www.dotd.la.gov or call the Transportation Department’s Customer Service Center at 1-877-4LADOTD (1-877-452-3683). Business hours are 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays.

<p>Drivers who use the Leeville Bridge are getting an easier way to pay the toll that helped pay for the new span.</p><p>The newly installed cash-and-charge lane opens for business Wednesday. the state Transportation Department says.</p><p>Drivers heading south on the Leeville Bridge will be able to use a kiosk that will allow payment with coins, cash, credit cards and debit cards.</p><p>The current toll system, originally hailed as a high-tech achievement, had been riddled with problems and complaints from motorists and local officials since it opened more than two years ago.</p><p>The bridge, a key route for trucks heading to and from the oilfield hub of Port Fourchon, collects tolls of $2.50 to $12, based on a vehicle's size. The toll is only charged for drivers heading south.</p><p>Henri Boulet, executive director of the La. 1 Coalition, a nonprofit group that led the push for highway upgrades, said drivers will declare the number of axles and pay without exiting the vehicle.</p><p>Boulet said this is a big improvement over the current method of payment, which requires drivers to prepay online or at a local kiosk before reaching the bridge.</p><p>“This will make travel more convenient for motorists commuting to Port Fourchon and the many visitors that flock to Grand Isle for annual events and vacations,” state Assistant Transportation Secretary Rhett Desselle said.</p><p>The changes will not affect those who pay tolls via the online Geaux Pass system, but single-trip online payments will no longer be available. For those drivers with a pre-paid, multi-trip Geaux pass, a Geaux Pass-only lane has been designed so they can proceed without stopping, Boulet said.</p><p>Because of the switch, the pre-pay and post-pay toll kiosks in Leeville businesses will be removed. There will also no longer be a grace period for drivers to pay after crossing the bridge.</p><p>Boulet said the toll machine will count the number of axles as the vehicle pulls away. Those who incorrectly report the number of axles or fail to pay the toll will be billed the proper cost in addition to a $25 fine. Security cameras will record identifying vehicle information.</p><p>Boulet said the change stems from confusion with the old payment system that required drivers to input their tag number. He said this led to errors that affected the state's ability to collect the tolls and repay the loan that built the bridge.</p><p>The tolls generated $3.4 million in 2010, falling short by $674,000, or 15 percent, of the money needed to fully satisfy the $136 million loan. </p><p>State officials have said the confusing and often broken toll system is one reason the bridge has not collected the expected revenue.</p><p>“I'm encouraged that the state has installed this new system that will allow us to collect all the revenue we projected and pay the bondholders,” Boulet said. </p><p>A canopy will be installed at the new toll kiosk, and the Transportation Department expects to install a backup machine in the next six months should the new machine experience problems.</p><p>For information, visit http://www.dotd.la.gov or call the Transportation Department's Customer Service Center at 1-877-4LADOTD (1-877-452-3683). Business hours are 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays.</p>